Welcome to the new look Permablitz Melbourne website.  It's not just a new look, it's got a bit of new content too.  We've got an extended list of regional permablitz groups, we've rejigged the page describing permablitzes and how to get involved, and have begun a list of professional permaculture designers from within the blitz network.

There have been almost 70 permablitzes in and around Melbourne, and many of us have been performing permaculture designs professionally too in parallel.   So what are some of the common good ideas and recurring patterns that are coming to inform home-scale permaculture design in this city?  Dan Palmer of Very Edible Gardens and co-originator of the permablitz network, wrote this article for the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia last week on just that pertinent topic... 

Heard of 'terraforming'? That's the technical term for taking inhospitable planets and changing the atmosphere and introducing life to make them habitable to humans. Kind of a sci-fi thing at this stage. And since we're so busy making this planet uninhabitable to humans, it may stay that way. Indeed the most famous terraforming sci-fi author, Kim Stanley Robinson, of the Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars trilogy, says we should start thinking about terraforming planet Earth.  Ie. return it to its former state of health.  And that, he says, is exactly what permaculturists are doing already . 

So don your space suit, pick up the garden fork and get ready for fun and action.  For this is another permablitz newsletter.  We've got advice for poor people, activism, passivism, upcoming courses and more...

You've heard of the Win-Win.  Well how about the WIN to the power of WIN times WIN, fried in a wholesome batter of extra WIN.  

When you're blitzing you're learning by doing, while getting ideas for your own garden, participating in free workshops, while meeting good people, while helping to reduce food miles and water use, reducing deforestation and salinity, beautifying underused spaces, sharing resources, eating great food, and preparing the way for ever more healthier, tastier food, while building community networks and urban resilience.  And what does all this cost you?  Nothing.  And if you come to three or so we can help organise one at your house.  Try doing the maths on that.  It broke my calculator.

This weekend is overflowing with blitzes!  So come along to one...  This newsletter has also got some fantastic news from the world of blitz and friends, plus rumours and insinuations, reader feedback, and some very provocative recipes for hard times.

Our Paul from the permablitz network and Very Edible Gardens and his partner Claire were featured in a full colour article in The Age today:

"It's a typical suburban backyard - about 70 square metres - but Paul Fogarty, 27, a landscaper of edible gardens, and his partner, stockbroker's assistant Claire Moore, 30, have transformed their Altona garden into a productive jungle. " 

"...Over the last 12 months they have harvested 120kg of honey from their beehive, made 40 jars of chutney, 30 jars of pasta sauce, harvested 90 zucchinis (from one $3 seed packet) and estimate that their four Rhode Island Red and Australorp cross chooks laid over 1000 eggs (about $500 worth)." 

Read more...